DESIGN:

SETTING:

Outpatient clinic.

PARTICIPANTS:

Seventeen patients who experienced stroke more than 1 year before study entry and who had upper-limb hemiparesis and learned nonuse.

INTERVENTION:

Seven patients participated in structured therapy sessions emphasizing more affected arm use in valued activities, 3 times a week for 10 weeks. Their less affected arms were also restrained 5d/wk for 5 hours (mCIMT). Four patients received regular therapy with similar contact time to mCIMT. Six patients received no therapy (control).

CONCLUSIONS:

mCIMT may be an efficacious method of improving function and use of the more affected arms of chronic stroke patients. Findings further affirm that repeated, task-specific practice is critical to reacquisition of function, whereas practice schedule intensity is less critical.